Gangway



A ril 25, 1933. D. H. MORGAN GANGWAY e Shets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1931Lira...

April 1933. D. H. MORGAN 1,905,947

April 1933. D. H. MORGAN 1,905,947

GANGWAY Filed May 21, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 25, 1933. D. H MORGANGANGWAY Filed May 21, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 fiavidfLfllazyalg M l, I"

April 25, 1933. D. H. MORGAN GANGWAY Filed May 21, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5gwuenloc Aprll 25, 1933. D. H. MORGAN 1,905,947

GANGWAY Filed May 21, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 KW WLW Patented Apr. 25,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca DAVID E. MORGAN, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO,ASSIGNOB TO TRUSOON STEEL COMPANY,

OI YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN GANGWAY Applicationfiled m 21, 1931. Serial No. 539,069.

.being adjustable so that a proper cooperative relation can beestablished with the vessel, irrespective of the variation of theheight-of the vessel due to tide, the amount of cargo that may becarried, or other conditions well understood. Such structures arepopularly known as wharf drops.

In the development of shipping and wharfs, there has been of course acorresponding development in the mechanism for adjusting these gangwaysor wharf drops, and as the latter have increased in size and weight, themechanism for raising and lowering them, its location, and the necessarysupporting structure thus required to be installed so as not tointerfere with other important features of the wharfs and piers, as forexample the door structures and their operating mechanisms, has become aserious problem.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide inconnection with an adjustable gangway or wharf drop, operating meanstherefor that will occupy practically no overhead space, thus leavingsuch space free for the utilization of other structural features, suchas above indicated.

A further object is to provide means that is simple and effective and isopen to a wide range of modification that may be necessary by reason ofthe diiferent conditions encountered.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a simple form ofgangway, in which the invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale, also onthe line 22 of Figure 1 but showing only the draft means for theelevating cables.

Figure 4 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3. I

-Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional view showing one of the hingesand the overlying slide oint.

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation of one of the draft nuts.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through another embodiment ofthe inven- Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through a differentform of construction.

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of the same on the line 1010 ofFigure 9.

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another embodimentof the invention.

Flgure 12 is a sectional view on the line 1212 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a detail sectional view on the line 1313 of Figure 12. I

Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of another form ofconstruction.

Figure 15 is a sectional view on the line 15-.15 of Figure 14.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figures 1 7 inclusive, the foundationstructure of the pier is shown generally at 17 and has the usual topsurface 18 which may be considered the floor surface of the wharf orpier. In this foundation 17 is provided a pit or chamber 19 having anopen outer end 20. In this pit or chamber is located the gangway.

In the structure disclosed the gangway comprises a series oflongitudinal supporting beams 21 that may be of channel form and havingnailing strips 22. Secured transversely on this sub-frame is a floor ordeck shown as composed of planks 23 which are fastened to the nailingstrips 22. The rear end of this platform includesa cross beam 24 towhich are secured hinge ears 25. The upper margin of the rear end wallof the pit has embedded therein a metal beam 26 secured by anchors 27and carrying hinge ears 28 that are connected to the hinge ears 25 bypintles 29. The platform is thus mounted to pivot at its rear end whileits outer end moves verticall in the outer end of the pit or chamber.joint over the hinges the anchored beam 26 has Secured to its outer facean angle bar 30 11 order to provide a closed 1 (see Figs. 1 and 6), thisangle bar having an outstanding flange 31 that overlies the hinge 28-29.A similar angle bar 32, secured to the cross beam 24 of the platform,has a rearwardly extending flange 33 that rides under the flange'31. Afillm piece 34 may be provided on the portion 0 the flange 33 which doesnot slide beneath the flange 31. A closed joint is thus rovided at thehinged end of the platform between said platform and the floor of thepier which however permits the swinging movement of the platform, itbeing understood that the flanges 31 and 33 will give sufficiently toallow the swinging movement.

In this embodiment of the invention now under consideration, the meansfor raising and lowering theiplatform, with the exception of theactuating or control device is located below the floor level 27. and isin the I-beams 41 are located beneath the longitudinal frame bars 21 andare suitably secured thereto by electric welding or other means.

The links 40 in turn are connected to the outstanding gudgeons 42 ofnuts 43 arranged between the beams 41,-and said gudgeons have their endsslidably guided in channel bars 44 secured to the inner sides of theI-beams 41.

The nuts 43 have threaded engagements with screw rods 45 locatedlongitudinally be,

tween the I-beams 41, and forming in effect the ends of a shaft 46 thatis journaled in a gear case 47 located between and bolted to the I-beams41, as shown at 48 in Figures 3 and 4. In said gear case and fixed tothe shaft 46 is a worm wheel 49, meshing with which is a worm 50 carriedby an actuating shaft 51 that extends longitudinally beneath theplatform. This shaft may be rotatably driven by any suitable means. Thusin Figure 1 there is shown an electric motor 52 suspended from the underside of the platform and having a gear drive 53 with the shaft 51. Anelectric cable 54 supplies current to the motor from any suitable sourceand under any suitable control placed at any suitable situation desired(which has not been illustrated, but which is obvious to one skilled inthe art.) The shaft 51 may also be manually operated, and as illustratedin Figure 1, a vertical stub shaft 55 is geared, as indicated at 56, tothe shaft 51. On this stub shaft may be mounted a handle crank 57,

' which being manually turned, will rotate the shaft 51.

Obviously when the shaft 51 is rotated in one direction the shaft 46will be rotated, ana the screws 45 turned so as to move the nuts 43either toward the ear case 47 or away from the same. When t e nuts aremoved towards each other, draft will be placed u on the cables 35,causing the platform to be e evated. When the direction of rotation ofthe shaft 51 is reversed and the nuts move away from each other,obviously the outer end of the platform is allowed to lower. Thus itwill be seen that the platform or gangway can be elevated from aposition where it rests upon the bottom of the pit to a position wherethe deck is level with the floor surface, and it can be held at anypoint intermediate these two extremes. Moreover the lifting mechanism isbelow the floor level, leaving the space above the same entirelyunobstructed for the building and installation of any other features ofa pier or. wharf as may be desired.

The structure shown in Figure 8 is substantially the same as thatalready described, except that it is illustrated as being only amanually operated device. It will of course be understood that theelevating means may be power-driven. The same parts are therefore giventhe same reference numerals with the added exponent a. It is believedunnecessary to re-describe the structure. There is, however, anadditional feature disclosed in this figure, making it particularlyadaptable for manual operation, to-wit, a counterweight. As shown inFigure 8, there is provided beneath the platform a supporting frame 58,and one or more lever bars 59 are fulcrumed between their ends, as shownat 60 on said frame. One arm of each of these levers has at its free enda roller 61 that rides against one of the longitudinal beams 21a. Theother arm of each lever carries a suitable counterweight 62. The weightor weights 62 obviously tend to elevate the deck or gangway, but ofcourse are lighter than said gangway so that when the nuts are separatedand strain thus removed from the draft cables, the platform will movedownwardly by gravity.

In Figures 9 and 10 a different form of operating mechanism isdisclosed. The pier structure is designated generally by the referencenumeral 63 and has a pit or chamber 64. The supporting frame of theplatform is shown at 65, and the platform deck is designated 66. A hingeconnection 67 between the rear end of the platform and the rear end wallof the pit 64 is the same as that already described. A counterweightmechanism 68 similar to that shown in Figure 8 and already described. isemployed if desired. In this embodiment of the invention there islocated beneath the supporting frame of the deck a pair of transverselydisposed channel bars 69 having bearing knuckles 70 that are rounded,and on which the longitudinal frame bars of the-platform rest.Vertically arranged threaded standards71 have heads 72 at their upperends that are located between the channel bars 69 and are securedthereto by cross bolts 73. These standards operate in sockets 74 formedin the floor of the pit 64. The standards-71 pass through gear casings75 placed on the floor of the pit 64, and in these casings are wormwheels 76 having threaded engagements with the standards 71. A crossshaft 77 is provided with worms 78 in mesh with the worm wheels 76 andthe cross shaft may be operated by any suitable means, as for example,through bevel gears 79 with a vertical actuating shaft 80 located in thechannel 81 in'one of the side walls of the pit. On the upper end of thisshaft 80 may be detachably mounted a h'an dle crank 82 by which saidshaft 80 can be rotated. When rotated in one direction, obviously theworm wheels-76 will be rotated and the standards 71 raised thereby,elevating the platform, and when turned in the other direction thestandards 71 will be low cred with a corresponding movement on the partof the platform.

Still another form that the invention may take is illustrated in Figures11 and 12. Therein the pit is designated 83 and the vertically swingingplatform is shown at 84. Near the free end of the said platform 84 arecross beams 85 that project beyond the sides of said platform intochannels 86 formed in the side walls of the pit. Secured to theprojecting ends are cables 87 that pass over guide sheaves 88 and extendhorizontally to the rear end of the platform. Here they pass overactuating sheaves 89 and their free ends may carry weights 90. Thesheaves 89 are fixed to a driving shaft 91 which may be actuated by anysuitable means, as for example, a lever 92 having a pawl 93 thatoperates on a ratchet Wheel 94 (see Figure 13) fixed to the shaft 91. Byoscillating the lever 92 the shaft 91 may be given a rotation, therebyeither elevating the platform or allowing it to lower.

Another type of elevating and lowering mechanism is shown in Figures 14and 15. Here the pit is designated 95 and the platform 96. Beneath thefree end portion of the platform are located a pair of cross bars 97having bearing knuckles 98 on which the frame bars of the platform 96rest. Between the cross bars 97 and fixed thereto are nuts 99. Thesenuts are threaded on vertical shafts 100 that are located in the sidewalls of the pit and are operatively connected by an endless cable orchain 101 that passes around pulleys said shafts. On one of these shaftsmay be detachably mounted a handle crank 103 by which the screws can beturned in either of opposite directions, thereby causing the nuts andconsequently the platform to be raised or lowered.

From the foregoing, it is-thought that the construction, operation andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without furspirit of sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

What I claim, is

1. In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor having a pit anda platform pivotally mounted to have a free end that swings in asubstantially vertical direction between a depressed and an elevated.position, and mechanism in the pit and beneath the platform and belowthe floor level for elevating it and effecting its depression and forholding it at different elevations.

2. In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor having a pit, ofa vertically swinging platform hinged adjacent one end and having itsother end movable to different elevations, and means substantiallyconfined to the pit for elevating and depressing the platform andholding it at different elevations.

3. In a tion with a floor having a pit, of a vertically swingingplatform' hinged adjacent one end and having its other end movable todifferent elevations, and means mounted in the pit below the free endportion of the platform for raising and lowering it and holding it atdifferent elevations.

4;.- In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor having a pit,of a vertically swinging platform hinged adjacent one end and havlng itsother end movable to different elevations, and means located in the pitbelow the free end portion of the platform for raising and lowering it,said means including a screw having connection with the platform andmeans for operating the screw.

5. In a gangway structure, the combina-' tion with a floor having a pithaving a closed end and an open end, of a platform that verticallyswings in the pit and has one end pivotally' mounted at the closed endof the pit, and means in the pit operating on the free end portion ofthe platform to raise and lower it.

6. In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor having a pithaving a closed end and an open end, of a platform that verticallyswings in the pit and has-one end pivotally mounted at the closed end ofthe pit, and means including screw mechanism located in the pit andconnected tothe free portion of the platform for raising and loweringsaid platform.

In a gangway structure, the combination with a platform hinged at oneend and movable to and from different elevations, of a screw rotatablyjournaled on the underside of the platform, means for rotating thescrew, travelling nuts engaged and operated and it will be understoodgangway structure, the combinaby the screw, and elevating cablesconnected to the nuts and acting to raise and lowerthe platform."

'8. In a gangway structure, the combination with a platform hinged atone end and movabe to and from different elevations, of verticallydisposed screw shaft elements at the sides of the platform, .nutelements engaged with the screw shaft elements, certain of said elementsbeing connected to the plat-' form, andmeans for effecting relativerotation between the nut elements and screw shaft elements to cause theelevation and depression of the platform.

9. In a gangway structure, the combina tion with a pit, of a platform,hinge mountings in one wall of the pit and the platform, means forelevating and lowering the platform, and overlappin joint plates at thehinged end of the plat arm and covering the joint between the pit endwall and platform above the hinge mountings.

10. In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor, of a platformhinged at one end and having its other end movable to differentelevations, and mechanism supported below the floor level and engagedwith the platform for moving the platform to different elevations andholding it at said elevations.

11. In a gangway structure, the combination with a floor having a pit,of a platform operating in the pit, said plat-form -being hinged at oneend and having its other end movable to different elevations, andmechanism supported in the pit and engaged with the platform for movinthe platform to different elevations and ho-ding-it at said elevations.

In testimony whereof, I affix my si ature.

DAVID H. MOR AN.

